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Run for the Border

Vice and Virtue in U.S.-Mexico Border Crossings

Steven W Bender author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:New York University Press

Published:13th May '12

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

Run for the Border cover

This book explores the interdependent relationship between Mexico and the U.S., advocating for a compassionate approach to immigration reform in Run for the Border.

In Run for the Border, Steven W. Bender provides an insightful examination of the complex dynamics at play along the US-Mexico border. The relationship between Mexico and the United States is depicted as interdependent, with Mexico supplying labor and goods while the U.S. offers opportunities for a better life. This symbiotic connection is often overlooked in discussions surrounding immigration reform, which typically focus on security concerns and portray Mexican migrants as threats to American resources. Bender challenges this narrative by highlighting the historical and ongoing exchanges that occur across the border.

The book delves into the historical context of border crossings, showcasing how both nations have influenced each other over the past 150 years. Bender argues for a reevaluation of immigration policies, advocating for a more collaborative approach that acknowledges the shared cultural and economic legacies of both countries. By examining various aspects of border life, from vice tourism to the plight of modern immigrants, Run for the Border presents a comprehensive view of the issues at hand.

Bender's work is enriched by his diverse background, drawing on historical, cultural, and legal perspectives, as well as insights from literature and cinema. This multifaceted approach not only informs his analysis but also emphasizes the need for compassionate cross-border cooperation. Through Run for the Border, readers are invited to reconsider the narratives surrounding immigration and to recognize the importance of dialogue and understanding in shaping future policies.

This engaging, entertaining, and educational 14-chapter book is a call to action for all to work on improving cross-border cooperation. Recommended for all readership levels. * CHOICE *
[O]ne insight that is clearly articulated throughout this work is that the decisions that our governments make, whether unilaterally or cooperatively, have direct and critically important impact on their constituents. -- David Hatten * clcjbooks *
"No doubt, borders are incredibly fascinating. And if you want a pleasant way to understand the multitude of factors driving the enormous legal and illicit traffic across the U.S.-Mexico border, then Run for the Border is the book for you. Benders detailed and nuanced review of the U.S.-Mexican border, its history and its complexity, is invaluable. It presents a very readable collection of historic to very modern examples demonstrating why people move goods and themselves in both directions. Benders rich analysis gives us the tools to understand what is wrongand occasionally right--with our trade, immigration and drug policies. In reviewing immigration reform and drug legalization Steve Bender makes some sober and some surprising policy suggestions. Run for the Border takes common U.S. border mythology and smashes it to pieces. What is left after reading this very interesting and compelling book is a much richer understanding of the U.S.-Mexico border. It uses history and modern cultural references to show what the border is and does. We also learn how and why people, legally and otherwise, have crossed goods and themselves over it for the past 150 years. Bender reveals the complexity of border traffic and shows us, strand by strand, how it works. Along the way, he also exposes the unfortunate fog of myths, stereotypes, and rank racism that have obscured our understanding of the border and the people who cross it. Run for the Borders fact-based approach gets us well beyond the din of the intense and sometimes bitter debate over immigration and drug policies. -- Raymond C. Caballero,former mayor of El Paso, TX
"Benders account offers an important corrective to the idea that there is any single narrative that ought to drive the complex debate on immigration policy. With a series of graphic illustrations Bender explodes many of the myths about immigration and tells the complicated interlocking series of stories that have colored our understanding of the relationship this country has had with Mexico and which Mexico has had with us. It is an important and valuable contribution to the increasingly vituperative political debate on how to manage the border. -- Gerald Torres,author of The Miner's Canary: Enlisting Race, Resisting Power, Transforming Democracy

ISBN: 9780814789520

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 499g

233 pages